Should I worry that my 3-year-old still talks like a baby?

Although 3 is the age when your child should begin to leave the baby talk behind, every child develops differently. It's fine at this age for your child to still be saying three-word sentences, but the content of the sentences should change. Look for your child to start using "are" and "is" ("He is nice" rather than "He nice"), as well as definite articles ("Want the ball" instead of "Want ball").

If he's not starting to display these skills, there are lots of positive ways to encourage him to speak more correctly without making him feel like he's doing something wrong. Start slowly — pick just one word in a phrase to change or add at a time. It would be too big a jump to try to get him to say, "May I please have some juice?" at this point. The least effective thing you can do is have him repeat a long sentence like that one or two words at a time. He will never remember it the next time and may avoid talking if it results in a drill.

When he says, "Me want juice," simply model back "I want juice," making sure you emphasize the word you want him to focus on. He will most likely naturally imitate it correctly for you. If he repeats it incorrectly, let it go. Even if you're frustrated, avoid shaming him with responses such as "Stop talking like a baby! You're a big boy!" All he needs is to hear you rephrase it correctly over and over at his level.

Once he says, "I want juice" without prompting (and of course with lots of praise from you!), you can add another word: "I want juice please," and so on.

If you find he is frustrated and not improving within about four months, it may be a good idea to have a speech-language pathologist take a look and see whether he needs some additional help. Try your local elementary school — most public schools will evaluate a 3-year-old. You can also get a referral for a private speech-language pathologist.

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